Raleigh, N.C. — Hundreds of drivers in Wake County and thousands statewide were cited in late May and early June during the state’s annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign.

The Governor’s Highway Safety Program and the North Carolina Department of Transportation issued 8,483 seat belt citations and 873 child passenger safety violations to NC drivers and passengers during their annual campaign, which ran between May 23 and June 5.

During the two week period, state and local law enforcement agencies held 6,343 checkpoints and stepped up patrols in 25 major N.C. counties, issuing 77,622 traffic and criminal violations.

Following Robeson and Wake in most seat belt violations received were Wayne County (366), Guilford County (361) and Mecklenburg County (338).

“The safety of everyone who travels our roadways is a top priority of Governor McCrory’s agenda,” said Transportation Secretary Nick Tennyson. “The Click It or Ticket campaign reminds us that while we continue to make significant progress, we still have work to do to encourage passengers to buckle up in every seat, every time.”

As of June 3, authorities said 173 people have died statewide in crashes where people were not wearing seat belts. According to the NCDOT, that's a 13 percent increase from this time last year.

Officials have been trying to get the state's seat belt usage rate above 90 percent in 2016 after it dropped last year.

"As the summer travel season begins, we want to remind passengers that it is the law to wear your seat belt, regardless of where you are sitting,” said Don Nail, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “Buckling up takes three seconds and is a simple action that could save your life.”

Paul GuzskiJun 13, 5:31 p.m.

When available, I just can't comprehend someone purposely not wearing a seat belt all the time. It's ingrained in my brain to always have a seat belt on before I drive or ride...I feel naked without it on actually. Now I had a friend once tell me that he never wears a seat belt because he doesn't want to be trapped if there's a fire. That defies logic because a crash violent enough to cause a fire will probably kill you or knock you unconscious before the fire gets to you. Fires occur in a very small percentage of accidents anyway. And this is an educated individual with a doctorate so it just goes to show that common sense isn't so common.

Paul GuzskiJun 13, 5:27 p.m.

View quoted thread

You know, the seat belt citations are pretty interesting to me. It's not ok to drive/ride in a car without one, but it's ok for kids to travel in school transportation (buses) without any and/or ok for people to use public transportation without any. Huh...just a thought.

— Posted by Ileana Bryan

That's because buses react differently than other vehicles in an accident. They're supposed to be safer because they weight more and the passengers sit up high compared to a car. The seats are also closer together and padded to absorb impacts, plus they're designed to contain a kid and not have them ejected from the seat. Trusting kids to use a seat belt properly and the challenge of making one to fit all kid sizes would be difficult. Improper seat belt use can strangle you or compress your spine.

Ileana BryanJun 13, 12:44 p.m.

You know, the seat belt citations are pretty interesting to me. It's not ok to drive/ride in a car without one, but it's ok for kids to travel in school transportation (buses) without any and/or ok for people to use public transportation without any. Huh...just a thought.